Julianne Campbell

I grew up in the Midwest with a passion for aerospace technology. Air travel has always been magical to me and drove a curiosity that led me to pursue an aviation career. I went on to achieve a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics and a Master of Science in Safety Engineering. When I finished my education, I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to work for one of the leading aerospace and defense manufacturers in the world. During my time there, I was able to grow my skills and gain valuable experience in business and leadership. 

Even though I had accomplished my goal of earning a prestigious career in the industry I was passionate about, I found myself deeply unhappy. The job that was once a childhood dream had become a stress-filled reality. I knew I needed to make a change, so I decided to leave that dream behind and open a new chapter in my life. I left the job I had worked my whole life to get with no idea what I was going to do next. I felt very lost during this time which led to a lot of anxiety and even greater stress.

I picked up the artistic style of mixed media collage as a coping mechanism for the stress and anxiety of leaving my career. This coping mechanism woke up my inner child and quickly transitioned into a passion that I grew to be excited about each day. Collaging acts as an outlet to channel my creativity and improve my critical thinking and problem-solving skills. I have been able to learn more about myself and what I want to do “when I grow up”. Ultimately, collaging helped me create a new path for my future. 

My artwork is inspired by my past experiences combined with my inner thoughts and perceptions of the world. I find a lot of joy in searching through magazines and materials found in thrift stores and people’s recycle piles. While flipping through the pages, I’ll find a single image that will spark a series of ideas in my mind relating to a personal story or experience. From there, my imagination takes over leading to the creation of a project using acrylic paint, markers, and any material I can find that will help convert the story in my mind to a visual image on paper.

Even though my life did not turn out how I expected it to, the knowledge and skills gained from my education and experience have positioned me to pursue a successful career as a strategic business consultant, as well as, an analog mixed media artist.

I’ve learned it is never too late to change your path. Life is too short to be spent doing something that does not make you happy.